AirTrunk, an Asia-Pacific-based hyperscale data centre specialist, has commenced construction of its new 20MW facility in west Osaka, Japan.

This move follows the company’s announcement about the data centre, AirTrunk OSK1, in October last year.  

A traditional Japanese jichinsai ground-breaking ceremony was held to mark the start of construction.  

The ceremony was attended by Australian consul general and senior trade commissioner in Osaka Trevor Holloway, AirTrunk Japan head Norihiro Matsushita, and AirTrunk executives, including deputy CEO Michael Juniper and chief development officer Paul Slaven.  

Representatives from Nishimatsu Construction, Nikken Sekkei, Kinden, Shinryo, Kansai Electric Power, and Mitsubishi UFJ Banking were also present. 

OSK1 is intended to bolster Japan's digitalisation efforts, providing infrastructure to support the region's shift to cloud technology.  

The company notes that the data centre is designed to deliver its attributes of speed, safety, reliability, and efficiency, thereby catering to the needs of large technology customers. 

The centre will be powered by an on-site 77kV substation.

Construction of OSK1 is expected to have a positive impact on the local economy by creating new jobs and fostering cloud growth and innovation.  

The company noted that it has opened two hyperscale data centres in less than two years and the Osaka centre will be the third development in Japan. 

The funding for OSK1 will be sourced through AirTrunk’s sustainable financing in Japan, ensuring that the company’s financial strategies are consistent with its environmental, social, and governance commitments.